Rose ecstatic over development of 3-point shot

Bulls point guard also excited about way team is shaping up

July 14, 2010|By K.C. Johnson, Tribune reporter

LAS VEGAS — Keep in mind that Derrick Rose is not the boastful type.

Now fear for NBA defenses.

"It's there; I have a consistent 3-point shot now," Rose said Wednesday night. "You'll see. I just have so much confidence in my jump shot now. It's coming along so good. It's past even my expectations at this point."

Rose arrived here a week in advance of U.S. national team practices and to support the Bulls' summer-league team, which blew out the Clippers 79-50 at Cox Pavilion.

He spent the first half sitting next to player development coach Randy Brown on the Bulls' bench and the second half sitting courtside next to new coach Tom Thibodeau. At one point, old coach — and new Clippers coach — Vinny Del Negro stopped by to say hello to both.

To hear Rose tell it, that should be some rivalry next season.

"I'm happy for him," Rose said of Del Negro. "And I'm excited about what coach Thibodeau can do. He and I have been talking a lot. A lot.

"We've talked offense, defense, what we're going to do in certain situations. He's a cool guy. People say he's not a people person but you sit and talk to him and he'll talk for two hours. So that's not accurate.

"He's a workaholic. I sometimes leave the gym at 3 and come back at 11 at night to shoot and he's still in the office, going over film. He will come down, watch me work out and tell me things to work on. He's helping me a lot."

Rose said he left free agency up to management and would have welcomed any additions. But he called the signings of Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver and possibly J.J. Redick "perfect for our style."

"We definitely needed players like them," Rose said. "They're guys who have won and fill needs for us. I've talked to Boozer a lot. And Korver and I played on the U.S. select team. He can really shoot it.

"They're guys who don't care about themselves. They're for the team. That's what we need."

Rose has been splitting his offseason workouts between the Berto Center and Santa Monica, where he trains with Russell Westbrook and Tyreke Evans with trainer Rob McClanaghan.

That's why Rose isn't worried about burnout if he plays in the World Championships in Turkey that end three weeks before training camp.

"I'm in shape," Rose said. "But I don't think I'm a lock for the team. That's when things get taken away from you. I'm going to go play my regular way and hopefully make it."

Layups: The Bulls, who have $7 million tied into the first year of the J.J. Redick offer sheet, either will have about $5 million or $12 million off salary-cap space depending on the Magic's decision by Friday on Redick. They seek a big man and defensive wing depth with veterans such as Brad Miller, Kurt Thomas and Ronnie Brewer in play. ... Another free-agent target, Raja Bell, signed with the Jazz after spurning an offer from the Bulls.